Motorboat racer Fabio Buzzi one of three killed in boat crash in Venice

A motorboat crash on a Venice dam on Tuesday night has killed three people and left one person injured, with legendary motorboat designer and racer Fabio Buzzi among those killed.

Fabio Buzzi in a FB Design boat, who died in a boat crash on Tuesday night. (Photo: FB Design)

Fabio Buzzi in a FB Design boat, who died in a boat crash on Tuesday night. (Photo: FB Design)

While details are still scarce, La Nuova di Venezia e Mestre reported that the 76-year-old record-holding Italian and two other passengers died when their vessel struck a dam after 9:00 pm on Tuesday, while attempting to establish a new Montecarlo to Venice record.

The other two victims are said to be British racers, whose names remain unknown.

A fourth crewmember, Italian Mario Invernizzi, was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries.

The offshore hull is said to have crashed against the San Nicoletto dam in Lunata, an artificial dam made of large boulders which has been lowered onto the seabed as part of the MOSE project, which seeks to protect the city of Venice and the Venetian Lagoon from flooding.

The powerful boat was about 20 metres long and with engines that allow it to reach speeds of up to 70 knots (about 130 kilometres per hour).